Archive for the ‘Press Releases’ Category

Islamabad, March 28, 2018: Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed an agreement for jointly taking forward the poverty graduation approach with the ultra-poor/vulnerable poor Afghan refugee population residing in districts Pishin and Swabi of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces respectively.

The initiative aims at making an effort to graduate the Afghan refugee population and their host families up the poverty scales and simultaneously providing them with sustainable livelihoods.

The Poverty Graduation Pilot for Afghan Refugee Families will help develop the capacities, opportunities, assets and productivity of Afghan refugees and their host families to reduce their vulnerability to shocks, improve their livelihoods and strengthen their business operations.

The signing ceremony was attended by UNHCR Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Ruvendrini Menikdiwela and Chief Executive Officer, PPAF, Qazi Azmat Isa along with officials from the two organizations. The collaboration will benefit 2,000 families out of which 70% households would be those residing in settled camps and 30% of households would be that of host families based in the project areas.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, Country Representative, UNHCR said, “Poverty graduation is practical approach, with the potential to contribute towards the creation of durable and sustainable solutions for refugees who live in Pakistan”.

Qazi Azmat Isa, CEO PPAF hoped that this partnership of a pilot initiative will help to graduate Refugees and their host local families out of poverty. He said, “PPAF poverty graduation strategy combines elements of social mobilization, livelihood development, and financial inclusion thereby combining support for immediate needs with longer term human capital and asset investment to move households out of extreme poverty and into sustainable livelihoods.”

The poverty graduation programme is an approach that target families living in extreme poverty on less than USD 1.25 a day and having no access to basic services. This approach brings innovative and market based methods together to help people become independent by providing them with sustainable livelihoods opportunities.

UNHCR’s priority in Pakistan is to achieve lasting solutions for one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world. Pakistan continues to host approximately 1.4 million refugees. Most are from Afghanistan and live in refugee villages and urban areas. Since March 2002, UNHCR has facilitated the return of approximately 4.2 million registered Afghans from Pakistan.

The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the lead apex institution for community-driven development in Pakistan. PPAF works as private sector organization in support of public policy by providing an array of financial and non-financial services to the poorest and the most marginalized rural households and communities across Pakistan. PPAF’s investment in developing capacities of its partner organizations and community institutions has resulted in addressing poverty in vulnerable and remote areas and providing opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.PPAF approach is to develop representative, inclusive, transparent and accountable institutions of the poor. The catalytic role of women in programme design, delivery and impact is at the core of all interventions. Access and opportunities for women are enabled through financial assistance in the form of interest-free, loans, and asset transfer & livelihood development.

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Karachi, March 30, 2018: The Jubilee Insurance Cup 2018 is set to spark excitement among the cricket loving nation with the T20 cricket series just around the corner. Jubilee Insurance is the title sponsor of this upcoming event being played between Pakistan and West Indies.

This comes following the much applauded PSL series with the final being gloriously concluded in Karachi. The Jubilee Insurance Cup 2018 is scheduled for three (03) T20 matches from April 01 to April 03, 2018 at the National Stadium, Karachi. This announcement was made during a press conference held in Lahore.

“Jubilee Life is the largest private sector insurance company in Pakistan. We are committed to remain steadfast to our vision of being Pakistan’s best service provider from the insurance industry and are proud to be among the Top 25 Companies of the Pakistan Stock Exchange – the only insurance company to make it to this prestigious list. We are honoured to be partners with PCB for supporting the cause of bringing this great game back to Pakistan. We have sponsored QG team last year in PSL and the relationship strengthened and we were the gold sponsors of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka series last year and gold sponsors of Fantastic PSL 2018 that finished in a fantastic fashion last week,“ said Sohail Fakhar, Group Head – Corporate Business, Marketing & Administration at Jubilee Life, “Bringing this legacy forward we would like to thank Mr. Najam Sethi, the entire PCB and Trans Group for giving us an opportunity to be the Title Sponsors of Pakistan Vs Windies series 2018. As our brand essence is Live Free, this series will definitely help strengthen the confidence of entire cricketing world to play in Pakistan. We wish PCB and our nation all the best. ”

Jubilee Life has been a venerable supporter of sports in Pakistan. Other than cricket, Jubilee Life has also lent its support to other sports in Pakistan including snooker, polo, golf and hockey.

Jubilee Insurance is a global brand of Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) that offers diverse insurance solutions (life, health and general). Jubilee Life has been the pioneer in Bancassurance distribution and is the market leader among private sector life insurance companies in Pakistan. With an average growth of 38% over the last five years, Jubilee Life is the most profitable and valuable life insurance company on the stock exchange.

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New Devices Close Gap Between LG’sPrice-Friendly Mass-Tier Devices and Flagships

Karachi / SEOUL, Feb.28, 2018 — LG Electronics (LG) unveiled the 2018 edition of its popular K8 and K10 mass-tier smartphones at MWC 2018, enhanced with even more premium features rivaling those of premium flagships. Both models will roll out globally in key regions such as Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

With a host of advanced camera features such as high speed auto focus and noise reduction for better low-light photography, the K Series continues to deliver exceptional products to customers at exceptional prices. Both the K8 and K10 carry over the handsome glossy pebble identity that has been a key element of the K Series’ identity, complemented by its 2.5D Arc Glass design for a modern, seamless look that ages well with time. Both phones will be available in three new, striking colors for 2018: Astro Black, Moroccan Blue, and Terra Gold.

The classy metallic design of the LG K10 with its metal U-frame not only looks sleek, but it is also packed with premium features not normally found in its price range. The K10 is equipped with the advanced 13MP rear camera technology found in the flagship LG G6 and a high resolution 8MP front camera that supports Bokeh when shooting selfies. With the K10, shutterbugs won’t miss any great photo opportunities with Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) which is 23 percent faster than traditional auto focus. And the new Smart Rear Key not only unlocks the phone with a fingerprint, it also triggers Quick Shutter for faster photos and Quick Capture for easy screen shots.

The updated LG K8 delivers more advanced camera UX features for 2018 and low-light photography has been improved from the previous generation K8 with even brighter, clearer images. Favorite features such as Auto Shot, Gesture Shot, Flash for Selfie and Quick Share are carried over to the new K8 by popular demand.

Clearer photographs in dim environments is made possible in both the K8 and K10 with the new Low Light Noise Reduction feature. Combined with High Dynamic Range (HDR), photos come out sharper with more luminosity and contrast levels.

Taking group photos with friends or family is easier than ever thanks to the new Timer Helper feature. No longer is it necessary to guess how many seconds until the timer triggers the shutter. With Timer Helper, the K8 and K10 will help keep count using the flash as a visual aid so friends and family can be in the exact position at the right time.

Another new feature of the K Series camera is Flash Jump Cut, which snaps a photo every three seconds (up to 20 photos) and stitches the images together into a fun GIF for easy sharing. Flash Jump Cut is available on both the K8 and K10 and can be used with either the front or rear cameras.

“LG’s 2018 K Series range of smartphones is focused on delivering even more value to consumers looking for the right device that fits their lifestyle and needs,” said Ha Jeung-uk, senior vice president and business unit leader for LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “We’re confident we can capture the hearts and minds of consumers in the fast-moving market with our smartphone camera technology and other convenient features.”

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Karachi /Dubai, March 01, 2018 – Emirates will resume its flagship A380 service between Houston (IAH) and Dubai (DXB) from 1 June 2018. This follows the airline’s recent adjustments to its US services with the launch of a new non-stop Dubai-Newark service from 1 June 2018 and the resumption of daily services to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando from 25 March 2018.

Houston will join more than 40 destinations on Emirates’ extensive global network served by its highly popular A380 aircraft, including Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Kuwait. Emirates will deploy its three-class A380 on the Houston route, offering a total of 516 seats, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 flatbed seats in Business Class seats and 426 spacious seats in Economy Class, increasing capacity per flight by more than 160 passengers compared to the current Boeing 777-300ER. Emirates’ Pakistani customers can enjoy the A380 service to Houston and all other destinations beyond Dubai.

With the large number of Pakistanis residing in the US, travel frequency is very high as people travel to and from Pakistan to visit family and friends. US is also a very popular tourist destination for Pakistanis. Other than that, the airline has a high volume of business travellers between Pakistan and the US. Emirates now serves 12 points in the US, facilitating its Pakistani customers by offering several flight options and significantly reduced travel times compared to airlines connecting via European hubs.

Emirates celebrated 10 years of service to Houston in December 2017, and has carried nearly 2 million passengers since its inaugural flight in December 2007. Services to Houston were upguaged to an A380 in December 2014, but as part of Emirates’ fleet optimization, the decision was made in July 2016 to operate the route with a Boeing 777-300ER. Emirates remains committed to Houston, offering exceptional product and services. With the energy sector recovering and playing a large role in Houston’s resurgence, Emirates took the decision to reinstate the A380 services from 1 June 2018 in line with commercial demand.

Flight EK211 will depart Dubai at 09:35 and arrive in Houston at 16:50 daily. Return flight EK212 will depart Houston at 20:00 and arrive in Dubai at 20:00 the next day. Pakistani passengers can travel on the Houston flight by choosing from the 75 weekly flights to Dubai from six cities in Pakistan including Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot and Multan. Pakistani passengers traveling from Houston can enjoy convenient connections in Dubai for their return flight to Pakistan. Passengers can also take advantage of over 90 codeshare destinations with flydubai.

The double-decker A380 is the world’s largest commercial aircraft in service and extremely popular with travelers. The Emirates A380 is renowned for its First Class Private Suites and Shower Spas, as well as Onboard Lounge for First and Business Class passengers. Passengers in all classes can enjoy Wi-Fi to stay in touch with family and friends and Emirates’ award-winning entertainment system, ice, with more than 3,000 channels of movies, TV shows, games and music. Emirates is now offering special content in Urdu for its Pakistani passengers.

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Karachi, March 05, 2018, ― LG Electronics is developing its proprietary deep learning-based artificial intelligence technology with the rollout of its own AI development tool to all LG business divisions in line with its efforts to speed up the release of new products equipped with the latest technology.

DeepThinQ 1.0 was developed last year with the establishment of LG’s Artificial Intelligence Lab in Korea to accelerate research into AI. The platform enables easy integration of AI into a wider range of products, allowing LG product developers to apply deep-learning technologies to future products. In line with the open strategy of its recently announced AI brand ThinQ, LG products developed with DeepThinQ – from mobile devices to home appliances – will deliver a comprehensive user experience by linking a host of technologies and solutions to its state-of-the-art AI platform.

DeepThinQ 1.0 boasts AI functions such as voice, video and sensor recognition and space and human body detection, developed with data gleaned from usage habits of LG customers over the years. DeepThinQ 1.0 was designed from the ground up with openness and diversification in mind, supporting a variety of operating platforms such as Android, Linux and webOS.

And with LG ThinQ, “live and learn” takes on a whole new meaning. Products developed on the DeepThinQ platform educate themselves using cloud servers to become smarter over time. This learning feature is at the heart of DeepThinQ, allowing LG AI products to understand not only their external environments but also the behavioral patterns of their customers. For example, LG ThinQ air conditioner learns customers’ living patterns over time and cools the room automatically to the temperature preferred by the occupant. In the car, LG’s cabin monitoring technology learns the driver’s facial expressions and gestures and recognizes the moment the driver starts to get drowsy. Eventually, ThinQ will be able to automatically adjust the music, lighting or climate inside the car by learning about the passengers who most often occupy the car.

DeepThinQ is already changing the way certain products targeting the commercial and consumer sectors are designed. LG’s Airport Guide Robots at Korea’s Incheon International Airport employs sophisticated ambient noise to improve voice recognition enabling passengers to be better understood. LG’s robot vacuum cleaner learns the difference between a chair and a dog and navigates accordingly.

“DeepThinQ is the embodiment of our open philosophy – to provide the most powerful AI solutions to our customers via a strategy of open platform, open partnership and open connectivity,” said Dr. I.P. Park, Ph.D. Chief Technology Officer at LG Electronics. “ThinQ will completely change the way consumers use our products because ThinQ products will learn about them to provide intelligent services, not the other way around.”

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Karachi, March 08, 2018: The nation’s most exciting music platform, Coke Studio, is all set to achieve another landmark by launching its 11th Season in July. Coke Studio Pakistan will thus continue to take Pakistanis on its unique musical journey. In the last 10 years Coke Studio Pakistan’s reach has been monumental. The platform has been recognized for its originality and boldness not only in the country but also in over 150 other countries of the world. It has achieved unprecedented success, with more than one billion total views & plays, and gathering more than 3 million subscribers, making it Pakistan’s largest YouTube success.

Coke Studio Season 11 now welcomes Ali Hamza and Zohaib Kazi as the new show producers. Ali Hamza’s experience in the music industry spans almost 2 decades. He is the founding member of the band Noori. Their debut album created a whirlwind all over the world. A first of its kind, it introduced the genre of pop-rock music to the Pakistani mainstream. In addition the album inspired the youth of Pakistan to take up the responsibility of doing something worthwhile for themselves and others. His most recent achievement, as a maestro of music industry was seen in Coke Studio Season 10, where his original track ‘Tinak Dhin’ received national acclaim and received accolades all across the Pakistani audience. The other producer of Season 11, Zohaib Kazi has been associated with Coke Studio for over 7 years, and was General Manager & Associate Producer for Season 7 till Season 9. In 2017, Zohaib took a hiatus from Coke Studio to reconnect and capture Pakistan’s folk essence through a travelogue styled music album. Season 11 is set to bring forth a new season of live performances with a diverse line up of pop, rock, folk and sufi artists from different genres.

Speaking about Coke Studio’s landmark feat, the General Manager of Coca-Cola Pakistan, Rizwan U. Khan stated, “Music from Coke Studio has become intertwined with Pakistan’s identity, and the influence that Coke Studio has had on the masses in Pakistan is really huge. In the last decade, Coke Studio has committed itself to reintroducing the audience to timeless classics as well as discovering a new generation of musicians. As we welcome the new producers, I want to thank Strings from the bottom of my heart for their passion and commitment towards cementing Coke Studio as a world class asset.”

Strings were able to build strong bridges between the old and the new; and they enriched the more traditional genres like classical, folk and qawaali. In addition, they put forward a list of musicians and helped them to establish themselves as recognized artists. It is also important to highlight that Coke Studio would not have been possible without the unrelenting commitment and hard work of everyone else behind the scenes – the technicians and engineers, the set design and implementation crew, and all the other support staff. Coke Studio’s unparalleled success is due toexcellent team work; with everyone invovled collaborating and working very closely together to create something that is bigger than than anything seen before in the field of music.
More details on Coke Studio’s artists, songs, collaborations, lyrics and television airing times will be shared in the coming months..

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Karachi, March 12, 2018 ― LG Electronics (LG) unveiled its 2018 TV lineup with an array of new and innovative OLED and SUPER UHD models, demonstrating its commitment to leading the global premium TV market. At a launching event in Seoul, LG introduced new TV products featuring the company’s exclusive ThinQ® artificial intelligence (AI) technology and advanced α (Alpha) processor which will lead the way in solidifying LG’s position in the global market for premium TVs, with the market for OLED TVs forecast to see sales of 2.5 million units this year from 1.6 million in 2017.

LG is building upon its legacy as the pioneer of large OLED display technology with the launch of ten new AI-enabled OLED TV models for 2018, including the W8, G8, E8, C8, and B8. Each model boasts a range of design factors from Picture-on-Wall (model 77/65W8), to One Glass Screen (model 65G8), Picture-on-Glass (model 65/55E8) and Cinema Screen design (model 77/65/55C8 and 65/55B8). Screen sizes range from 55 to 77 inches with nine AI-enabled SUPER UHD TVs (model SK95, SK85 and SK80) available in sizes varying from 49 to 75 inches.

LG’s 2018 AI-enabled SUPER UHD lineup is powered by LG’s α (Alpha) 7, the same powerful processor found in the B8 series. In combination with Nano Cell and FALD backlighting, LG AI-enabled SUPER UHD TVs offer the most advanced LCD picture quality ever with deeper blacks, enhanced image rendering, improved shadow details and accurate colors from the widest viewing angles. To complement the upgraded viewing experience, the new SUPER UHD TVs also support Dolby Atmos for an immersive audiovisual experience.

With AI functionality embedded in the sets, LG TV viewers can speak directly into the remote control to enjoy the ultra-convenient features of the latest advanced voice assistant technology. This is achieved by employing Natural Language Processing (NLP) to deliver intelligent voice-activated control and connectivity based on LG’s exclusive deep learning platform, Deep ThinQ®. LG’s ThinQ® AI-enabled TVs support services based on the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) to deliver real-time information and locate channels offering the desired content. Viewers can say “search for this movie’s soundtrack” or “turn off the TV when this program is over” without repeating the program’s title or specifying a time.

LG’s ThinQ® offers an enhanced interactive experience in the company’s newest smart TV lineup. By functioning as smart home hubs, LG ThinQ® TVs can access other smart home products such as robotic vacuum cleaners, air conditioners/purifiers, smart lights, smart speakers and many other devices that connect to the TV via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.*

NLP will be available in 14 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Spain, the UK, the US and Turkey. For other territories users will benefit from embedded NLP, by opting for one of the ten main setting languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Korean, Russian, and Turkish).

Picture Quality That Spells Perfection

LG’s newest α (Alpha) 9 intelligent processor provides true-to-life images with incredibly rich colors, sharpness, and depth for more realism. A core innovation of the processor is the four-step process of noise reduction, twice as many steps as conventional techniques. The algorithm allows for greater control to boost the clarity of images affected by distracting artifacts for more effective rendering of smooth gradations.

The processor also improves color performance with advanced mapping capabilities that bring colors far closer to the original content.α (Alpha) 9 is designed to support a high frame rate (HFR) for producing smoother and clearer motion images at 120 frames per second. With such technology, LG’s 2018 OLED TVs can display any content at maximum quality for a truly spectacular viewing experience.

Ultimate Cinema HDR Experience

LG’s 2018 OLED and SUPER UHD TVs feature Cinema HDR, which promises a truly cinematic experience at home with all models adding support for Advanced HDR by Technicolor, building on LG’s legacy of supporting major HDR formats from Dolby Vision to HDR10 and HLG (hybrid log-gamma). HDR images are dynamically processed frame by frame using LG’s proprietary algorithm, Enhanced Dynamic Tone mapping.

“Our top-tier OLED and SUPER UHD TV lineup for 2018 demonstrates the highest advancement in TV technology,” said Brian Kwon, president of LG’s Home Entertainment Company. “LG continues to be at the forefront of the global display industry by offering consumers the best possible viewing experience with technologies such as ThinQ® AI and advanced industry-leading processors.”

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Balochistan’s favourite brand Ufone is bringing back the second edition of the Balochistan Football Cup from today. The championship signifies the company’s commitment in promoting sports and engaging the youth in healthy activities.

This year the event will take place in six cities, including Quetta, Pishin, Khuzdar, Chaman, Loralai and Noshki. Last year the championship was held in only four cities.
The championship has 30 teams, five from each city engaging 450 young footballers. In the qualifying round, four teams from universities and colleges from a city will compete against each other in a knockout phase. The winner of this phase will play the qualifier in each city against a football club.

The successful teams at the city level will compete against each other in an eliminator. The top four teams from the eliminator will play in the semifinals, with the winners facing each other in the final.

The teams will play knockout and qualifiers their respective cities starting from today while the eliminator and the finals will take place in Quetta between 27 – 29 March.
Ufone’s brand ambassador and national football team star Fazal Mohammad is participating in the championship and will be representing Khuzdar Baloch Football Club.
Ufone believes this championship will help promote football in the province and prove to be a great platform for the emerging young players to learn and display their footballing skills. The initiative shows Ufone’s commitment to the people of Balochistan, which enunciates with the company’s tagline “It’s all about U.”

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Karachi, March 14, 2018: Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Benzair Income Support Program (BISP) inked an MOU to join hands to implement poverty graduation strategy across Pakistan in complete scale for poverty alleviation under the PPAF’s new IFAD funded National Poverty Graduation Programme (NPGP).The collaboration between both the institutions ensures mutual cooperation and provides support for joint ventures to graduate the poor’s especially living in extreme poverty zones of the country.

Chief Executive officer, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund Qazi Azmat Isa and Secretary BISP, Omar Hamid Khan, signed the MoU. Also present on the occasion were BISP Chairperson, Marvi Memon, Senior Group Head, Financial Management and Corporate Affairs, PPAF, Amir Naeem and Senior Group Head, Grants Operations, PPAF, Simi Kamal. Under the agreement, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund will utilize BISP’s National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) data to support BISP beneficiaries for graduating out of poverty through its financial services, assets transfers and investment opportunities. A number of other avenues will be explored jointly to enhance beneficiaries’ potential for improving the entrepreneurship skills. Officials from both the institutions will participate in program update meetings that will occur periodically to track beneficiaries improvement in term of graduation and for sustain mechanisms to capture intrusions impact.

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund poverty graduation approach combines elements of social mobilization, livelihood development, and financial inclusion thereby combining support for immediate needs with longer term human capital and asset investment to move households out of extreme poverty and into sustainable livelihoods.

The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the lead apex institution for community-driven development in Pakistan. PPAF works as private sector organization in support of public policy by providing an array of financial and non-financial services to the poorest and the most marginalized rural households and communities across Pakistan. PPAF’s investment in developing capacities of its partner organizations and community institutions has resulted in addressing poverty in vulnerable and remote areas and providing opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

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KARACHI – March 14, 2018: Shoaib Akhtar has recently collaborated with Tang Pakistan for its season’s launch and team building activities.

The former Pakistani cricketer, renowned for his fast paced bowling and unbroken world record of bowling at the speed of 161.3 km/hour has endorsed the market leader in powdered beverages, Tang. As part of the activities aligned with the brand, Akhtar visited markets to acknowledge and support the sales teams in their daily chores and helped in stocking Tang’s various stock keeping units (SKUs).

The instant fruit drink brand has linked its association with Shoaib Akhtar through the integrated theme, ‘speed’ as Tang is quick and easy to make and is based on simple steps comprising of mixing and stirring. The mentioned theme has also been incorporated in the activities planned during the phases of the collaboration.

“Tang is the brand that comes to mind when we talk about an instant drink that can be prepared speedily. Being able to quench thirst instantly, it’s not just a summer drink but my preference throughout the year and is perfect for any other sportsman.’ said Akhtar while speaking about his association with Tang.

Usman Muneer, Managing Director of Mondelēz Pakistan Limited said, ‘Tang has shown significant results in the last decade which is why we have been introducing new variants over the years. We therefore, devise campaigns and activities through which we can constantly engage our key stakeholders and instil top of mind recall for the brand while drawing a strong association with its functional and emotional attributes. The recently launched apple flavour is testament to the brand’s continuous development.”

Tang has been swiftly gaining momentum through its engaging outreach programmes over the span of time; as it recently won the Silver World Advertising Research Center (WARC) Media Award for the effective use of partnerships and sponsorships. The collaboration with Akhtar is another engagement strategy devised by the brand.